Dr Francesca Stella
- Senior Lecturer in Sociology (Sociology)
telephone: +44 (0)141 3305070
email: Francesca.Stella@glasgow.ac.uk
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https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2384-0435Research interests
My current research activity focuses on migration, sexuality and personal relationships. I am PI on the ESRC-funded project 'Intimate migrations: lesbian, gay and bisexual migrants in Scotland' (2015-17). The project focuses on intra-European migration from Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, and explores the role of sexuality and ethnonational background in decisions to migrate, experiences of resettlement and in the development of migrants' social networks.
I am also developing new research in the area of migration studies, related to migrants’ experiences of settlement, integration and belonging.
Other research projects (current/previous) and interests include:
- an ethnographic study on the everyday lives of lesbian and bisexual women in contemporary urban Russia, and a follow-up oral history project on ‘lesbian’ existence under state socialism in Soviet Russia. This work forms the basis of the monograph Lesbian lives in Soviet and post-Soviet Russia: post/socialism and gendered sexualities (Palgrave, 2014).
- ongoing work on sexuality, nationalism and human rights, empirically grounded in research on LGBT rights in Russia. This includes an article in Slavic Review 72(3), winner of the 2014 Heldt Prize for the Best Article in Slavic/Eurasian Women's Studies.
- involvement in the AHRC-funded knowledge exchange ‘Translating Russian and East European Cultures’. This is linked to ongoing work on storytelling as a means of ‘knowledge exchange’ and public engagement, and engagement in debates about representation, accountability, and in the roles of the ‘public’ university.
Research interests
- Migration, integration and belonging
- Sexualities
- Gender inequalities, feminist theory (esp. intersectionality)
- Real existing socialism and post-socialist transformations (especially in relaiton to the former Soviet Union and Central Eastern Europe)
- Russian society and culture
- Storytelling as a form of public engagement
- The ethics and methodologies of cross-cultural research
Grants
- IAA ESRC Grant 'Developing engagement on LGBT and migrant equality', May 2017-May 2018. As Principal Investigator.
- ESRC Standard Grant‘Intimate migrations: exploring the experiences of LGB migrant from Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union in Scotland’, Jan 2015-Dec 2017
As Principal Investigator, with Dr Moya Flynn (co-I) and Dr Anna Gawlewicz (RA)
- New Initiatives Fund (University of Glasgow, 2014)
GRAMNet workshop 'Migration and Intimate Life', 18 June 2014 (with Dr Marta Moskal)
- Sociology Small Grant/CRCEES funding (University of Glasgow, 2013)
Events series 'LGBT Lives in Russia and Lithuania', 11-23 February 2014
(co-organised with Edinburgh Film Guild, Scotland-Russia Forum and Amnesty International Student Society)
- ESRC Postdoctoral Fellowship (2012, ES/I038497/1)
'Queer lives and urban space: from Russia to the new Europe'
- AHRC Network Initiative (2011-12, AH/I001557/1)
'Translating Russian and East European Cultures' (named applicant/contributor)
- Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland Research Grant (2009-10)
'Female homosexuality and actually existing socialism: an oral history project of lesbian relations in Soviet Russia' (PI)
- Adam Smith Research Foundation Seedcorn Grant (2008)
International workshop 'Agency and Change in Provincial Russia: the Impact of Location(s)'. University of Glasgow, 2 April 2008; co-organiser
Supervision
I welcome enquiries from potential PhD applicants in any of my main areas of research. I also supervise undergraduate and postgraduate Sociology dissertations (MRes Sociology and Research Methods, MRes Equality and Human Rights).
Successful PhD completion
- Holly Porteous, ‘Beauty, Femininity and Consumption in Contemporary Russian Women’s Magazines’. Co-supervised with Professor Rebecca Kay, CEES (2014)
- Karen Cuthbert, ‘Doing gender’ without sexuality? An exploration of asexual masculinities and femininities’, co-supervised with Dr Matt Dawson, Sociology 2017)
- Gokben Demibras, 'A Feminist re-reading of Globalisation and Changing Social Constructions of Gender: a Comparative Neighbourhood Study in Turkey’ - co-supervised with Dr Susan Batchelor, Sociology (2018)
- Jenny Speirs, 'How do lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer-identified young people who use the internet experience, construct and manage psychological wellbeing?', co-supervised with Professor Sally Wyke, Sociology (2017, MPhil)
- Natalya Khalymonchik, 'The influence of Japanese popular culture on Russian subcultural youth communities' - co-supervised with Dr Moya Flynn and Professor Rebecca Kay, CEES (2018)
Current Research Students
- Sopio Davituri (2017-) 'Gender Inequality and Women’s Negotiation of Public and Private Spaces in Contemporary Georgia', with Dr Robert Gibb (Sociology) and Prof Rebecca Kay (CEES)
- Panagiotis Theodoropoulos (2017-) 'Precarity and Solidarity among Migrant Workers in the UK', with Dr Andy Smith (Sociology)
- Anna Bochorishvili(2017-) 'Relationship Experiences of Women with Disabilities in Georgia', with Prof Nick Watson (Sociology)
Teaching
Undergraduate Teaching
- Honours module 'Contemporary Migration in Global Perspective' (course convener, 2015-)
Postgraduate Teaching
- MSc module 'Global Migrations: Histories, Structures, Experiences': contributor
- MSc Equality and Human Rights: contributor, Core module
Previous Teaching and Admin Roles (since 2015)
- Sociology level 1B: Migration and Society
- Honours module 'Migration, multiculturalism and belonging'
- Honours module 'Sociology of Gender' (2016-17)
- MSc module 'Contemporary Approaches to Gender Relations' (course convener, 2015-16)
- PGR co-convener, Sociology
Research datasets
Additional information
Peer reviewing
- Member of the ESRC Peer Review College (Oct 2015-)
- Review of grant applications for Research Foundation Flanders, Belgium, and Royal Society, UK
- Member of the Editorial Board, Sociological Research Online (2015-2018)
- Referee of journal articles for: Sexualities, Gender, Place and Culture, Social and Cultural Geographies, GLQ, Slavic Review, Europe-Asia Studies, Lambda Nordica, Nationalities Papers and Girlhood Studies
- Referee of book proposals for Routledge and Palgrave (2011-present)
Institutional Affiliations
- Member of GRAMNet Convening Group (Glasgow Refugee Asylum and Migration Network)
- Member of Gender and Sexualities Research Forum
- Member of CRCEES
- Member of the Glasgow Human Rights Network
Professional Memberships
- Member of the European Sociological Association
- Member of British Association for Slavonic & East European Studies
- Member of British Sociological Association
- Member of the Higher Education Academy
Room 1005, Adam Smith Building, G12 8RT